Author
Topic: Hive Stand height advice needed (Read 656 times)

I am planning to build a Hive Stand which should be interesting and I'll share some photos when I do. From your experiences, what is the most suitable height of the stand for working the hives comfortably for an average size person yet keeping them off the ground.Your feedback and experience will be greatly appreciated.

I am really enjoying reading this forum and find it extremely enlightening and educational - congratulations to all participating!

My hive stands need to be high enough to keep the Skunks from eating all the bees. However making them too high has resulted in a couple of my stands tipping over in the mudd. That was fixed with some footers, but now I’m switching more of my hives over to mid entrances to clear the skunks while lowering the center of gravity and making the stands a little more stout.

As with just about everything bee keeping, there is 101 ways to make a stand. Where I am, I kind of have to work around the pests as opposed to designing a perfectly ergonomic stand.

Most of my existing stands are about 28” high I believe. I would have to measure them again, it’s a been a while. Those are for hives with bottom entrance.

Since I am new, only one week in, I don't know how workable mine will be but so far it seems to be a comfortable height.

It came about because I had some old 4x4x8 lumber laying around. I cut the 4x4's in half and the cut it in half again on the diagonal so the water would run off and not just stand on the flat surface. One 4x4 gives me the 4 legs. I then attached the cross members at the bottom edge of the diagonal cut which put the bottom of the hives 19 inches off the ground. This allows for the 4x4 legs to extend above the cross bars and won't let the hives sip off the side of the stand. I then made the stand as wide a a frame width so it could act as a frame holder while I worked the hive. The stand is about 6ft long and can accommodate 3 eight frame hives with enough space between each to work them. I also added cross member support under each hive placement. I might have to go back and attach legs in the middle so it won't sag under the weight of full hives.

This might be more information than you were looking for but it is how I built mine.

I like to use 2 rows of cinder blocks with either 2x4's or at the farm I use railroad tracks. That puts the base at around 10" above the ground. This past weekend I was training new Beekeepers at the club apiary. It has 2 cinder blocks high plus the 2x4's. I took the tallest hive. It had 1 deep and 4 medium supers. It was not easy getting the top super off of and back on the hive. Jim

Logged

"If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you do read the newspaper you are misinformed."--Mark Twain

I have most of mine on 1 cinder block and a 2x4 at each end of the hive, about 8 1/2 in. high. When I am inspecting or going through a hive I take my dolly, I have one just about like the one at Bud's. Layed down, it'd about the same hieght as the bottom board. As you go through them, you just stack on top or beside the previous super, and then reassemble.

I use 2x6" to make a box the size of my landing boards. In the sides I have 5 saw blade cuts about 6" long on two sides with screens on the insides to keep bugs out this causes a chimney like effect to keep to hive temps down. (I was getting to much air flow using cinder blocks) I also use screened bottom boards. This combination has worked well for years. I have two eye bolts on the sides also for my bungee cords to hold the outer cover on in high winds. For skunks I have two carpet strips on the landing boards (I painted them red to warn me not to touch them.) -Mike

Logged

..Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results...